This invention relates to the winding of packaged mono filament weed cutter line onto dispensing spools as they are employed in motor driven weed trimmers. The line used is usually of Nylon (TM) or the like and of a diameter to be rather stiff, though somewhat flexible. The dispensing spool is removable from the weed trimmer machine and usually contains about twenty five feet of trimmer line, more or less, and ranging in diameter from 0.065 to 0.095 of an inch. Due to the stiffness and difficulty in properly handling this rather stiff and heavy trimmer line, spools thereof are sold in a pre-wound condition, but at considerable cost. Consequently, for those persons who use large quantities of trimmer line, said trimmer line is also sold in bulk form, at a substantial saving, and without a spool. However, the person buying bulk trimmer line must be expert in handling it, since it is prone to tangle and tends to resist tight and compact winding upon the relatively small diameter spools. In practice, the spools are well made to last, are reusable, and with a proper setup it is possible to rewind these spools for repeated use. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to rewind weed cutter line spools for reuse.
In view to the foregoing it will be understood that there are two areas of concern in the rewinding and reuse of weed trimmer spools. Firstly, the packaging of trimmer line is to be considered, and secondly the adaptation of the various spool configurations is to be considered. Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a weed trimmer spool line winder that is universally adaptable to existant trimmer line packaging, and secondly universally adaptable to the varied configurations and sizes of trimmer line dispenser spools.
The trimmer line is a substantially stiff plastic, usually mono filament Nylon (TM), ranging in cross sectional diameter from 0.065 to 0.096 of an inch (approximately). Winding thereof onto a spool is by winding continuous coils onto a hub and confined between side flanges. Packaging thereof is similar, either supplied on replaceable dispenser spools, or upon bulk spools, and more economically without spool support. The non support packaging can be accomplished in at least two ways, one for external withdrawal of trimmer line, and the other for internal withdrawal thereof. That is, a bulk coil of trimmer line is packaged for one or the other withdrawal methods, in a box or the like with appropriate opening features for either one of said withdrawal methods. It is an object of this invention to accept either type of packaging.
The trimmer line dispenser spools are removable from the weed trimmer (not shown) and they are replaceable. Their size and drive features vary with different manufacturers, and some are of more than simple form in order to incorporate other features. However, trimmer spools are characterized by a tubular hub to receive a drive shaft, and with spaced flanges to confine the trimmer line supply. Of course, diameter of the spool varies according to the length of trimmer line to be stored and available. It is an object of this invention to accept the various trimmer spools of the aforesaid standardized configurations, and within a reasonable range of sizes.
And, it is another object of this invention to incorporate into one practical apparatus, each and every one of the aforementioned requirements and structural features that render this invention cost effective in every respect, while providing the user with the assurance of proper winding of mono filament onto said spools.